Congressman Chris Smith meets with members of the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence, Nicole Morella, Cristina Williams and Catherine Hernesh . photo via facebook

For 22 years, the Violence Against Women Act has been one of our nation’s most impactful laws. Aided by $6 billion in federal VAWA funding, millions of women have received emergency assistance during a crisis and support that has helped break the cycle of violence.

As the first comprehensive legislative package to address the epidemic of domestic violence, VAWA changed the attention to and conversation surrounding how we as a nation can better support victims of abuse and help families in need of a safe space. The law, which I supported at the outset and consistently since, invested significant resources to help prevent domestic abuse, assist the women and children who fall victim to it, and improve the judicial system’s response.

John Lafergolo, 52, of Millstone appeared in federal court in Trenton this morning on charges that he possessed 36 machine guns, which are illegal to possess in the United States, according to a state by U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman’s Office.

Lafergola was arrested at his Millstone home following a domestic violence incident on October 5, 2014.

According to the 2014 complaints Lafergola pointed a black 5.7X28mm Fabrique Nationale Herstal handgun model Five Seven at the victim. It is alleged that while Lafergola was pointing the handgun at the victim, he stated “I’ll blow your f***ing brain’s out”.

180 Turning Lives Around, the Hazlet based non-profit dedicated to ending domestic and sexual violence in our community, has been awarded a $255,284 federal Transitional Housing Assistance Program grant, according to U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman.

180 will partner with Long Branch Concordance and contracted service providers to support 10 families in the 180 agency owned scattered site townhomes.

180’s Families in Transition Program provides women and their children with a safe home for up to 18 months. Support services include career counseling, financial management, life skills training and assistance in obtaining housing.

A Middletown man shot and killed by police as he was holding his toddler son hostage early Wednesday morning had been arrested last year for a domestic incident involving the child’s mother, police and court documents show. Scott McAllister, 39, was living in Highlands last May when he was charged in an incident that led a… Read the rest of this entry »

When someone sucker punches an innocent woman or takes a switch to his son, something is terribly wrong. The league either delays disciplinary action or issues a slap on the wrist of the offender. The victims are vulnerable to the power of these men. Commissioner Goodell is unsuccessfully trying to appease the fans and advertisers that the league takes these actions seriously. If he were truly serious, he would apologize and submit his resignation over his failure to take immediate steps to prevent these kinds of assaults. The NFL should send a message to society that it will not tolerate these actions, and implement a no-tolerance policy with severe repercussions.

Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was released by the NFL team today and suspended indefinitely by the league as a result of the public outrage at the video of Rice knocking out his then fiancee that was released by TMZ this morning.

Clearly, the NFL’s move is a public relations and business decision. NFL officials had seen the video prior to suspending Rice for only 2 games and docking his pay for a third.

One has to wonder if Atlantic County Prosecutor James McClain would have accepted Rice into the Pre-Trial Intervention Program had the video become public before the former Rutgers star was given leniency. Rice had been indicted on third degree aggravated assault charges after clocking his wife. The prosecutor said there was enough evidence for a conviction even without Mrs. Rice’s cooperation. Presumably he meant the video. Rice faced five years in prison, but McClain accepted him into the Pre-Trial Invention Program for first offenders. If Rice stays out of trouble until May of next year, he is off the hook, legally, for the assault.

The mainstream media will be making a big deal today about the leniency Baltimore Raven Ray Rice received from the NFL after knocking out his then finance in Atlantic City in February. TMZ obtained an released a video of the incident this morning. Sources are quoted as saying that NFL officials saw the video before suspending Rice for the first two games of this season and docking his pay for a third game.

But the NFL would not be subject to the public outrage they are experiencing had the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office not been lenient with Rice first. Rice was first charged with simple assault. The charges were upgraded to aggravated assault by an Atlantic County Grand Jury. Rice faced a possible five years in State Prison. But the Prosecutor accepted Rice’s application into the Pre-trial Intervention Program for First Offenders and his Not Guilty plea which leaves him off the hook if he stays out of trouble for a year.